Dispensing film package



' Priority United States Patent Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee DISPENSING FILM PACKAGE 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1941 Greaves 8/1908 Schenck 8/1909 Russell 6/1963 Lashley FOREIGN PATENTS 11/1939 Italy 2/1934 Germany Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman AttorneySughrue, Rothwell, Mion, Zinn & Macpeak ABSTRACT: A film package holding a plurality of cut films in respective folds of a paper strip which is folded a plurality of times in accordion fashion.

Patented, Nov. 24, 1970 Sheet FIG. I

III/II Z/[g/{JgII/IAVIII/1111111111 INVENTOR KAMEGAKI $544M )Jw W ,5 h m KENJI ATTORNEYS:

. 1 DISPENSING FILM PACKAGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION one by one, together with a respective interleaf, which is very troublesome especially in a dark room.

It is, therefore, required to reduce the labor of placing cut films between the leaves and lessen the troublein handling the films without interfering with the functions of the prior art interleaves.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a novel and useful cut film package particularly for Roentgen photographs which is simple in construction and can easily be packed and handled.

In accordance with the present invention, cut films are inserted between the folds of folded paper strip which is folded into accordionlike form.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cut film package which is easily packed and handled by utilizing an accordion-shaped interleaf.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an X- On handling the filmsor taking the cut films out of the package,the films I are taken out one by one by drawing the ray cut film magazine from which the cut films are easily fed out one by one utilizing the film package techniques in accordance with the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of an embodiment of the film package in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the film package taken along the line [H1 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3a is a cross-sectional view of a film magazine adapted for use with the film package in accordance with the embodiment ofthe present invention shown in FIGS. land 2, prior to feeding a cut film from the package.

FIG. 3b is a cross-sectional view of the film magazine shown in FIG. 3a during feeding of a cut film.

FIG. 4 is a partly broken, plan view of another embodiment of thefilm package in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of afilm package of FIG. 4 as packaged in a moisture-proof bag.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a film magazine loaded with a film package in accordance with the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5.

FIG. 7 is a sectional, elevational view of yet another embodiment of a magazine and film package in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS- Referring to FIGS. I and 2, cut films I are inserted between the folds of a folded paper strip 2, each fold serving as an interleaf for each cut film I. The cut films 1 are protected by the paper strip 2 and prevented from being charged or adhering to each other.

On packing, the paper strip 2 is folded first into an accordion-pleated fashion or shaped interleaf, and cut films 1 are placed into the folds of the paper strip 2. Since the interleaf is made into the accordion shape, that is, notmade separately for each film, it is easy to place the films into the folds thereof. A film package comprising the cut films and the folded interleaf is further packaged into a moisture-proof bag and/or further placed in a protective case for convenience of transportation or handling.

end 2a of the paper strip 2 in such a way that each cut film 1 is pushed out, towards theopen end of the fold by the folded portion or edge 2b of the interleaf 2. Thus, the films 1 are removed from the package without being touched by the fingers.

According to the present invention, not only are the cut films 1 easily packed or removed, but an automatic film feeder of simple construction can be constructed utilizing the film packing techniques of the present invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 a and 3b, the film package in the form described above, is put into a film magazine 3. The film magazine 3 is formed with a top wall 4, bottom wall 5, side walls 6 and a rear wall 7. The top and bottom walls 4 and 5 have forwardly extending end portions 4a and 5a, respectively, such that the end portions 4a, 5a guide the cut film end. A slit 8 is formed between the edges of the end portions 40, 5a. The film magazine has an idle roller 9 adjacent the top wall 4 for guiding the paper strip 2. In the film magazine 3, spacing 10 is provided between the top wall 4 and the rear wall 7 for allowing removal of the paper strip 2. On removing the cut films 1 from the package in the film magazine 3, the end 2a of the paper strip 2 on the top of the package is folded back around roller 9 and guided through the space 10 in the rear. By drawing end 2 a of the paper strip 2 in the direction of the arrow A, the cut film I in the fold ofthe interleafed paper strip 2 is moved forward in the direction of arrow B. By providing a pair of drive rollers 11, 11 outside of space 10 for drawing end removed one by one as the paper strip 2 is pulled continuously. This operation is best shown in FIG. 3b.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, another embodiment of the film package in accordance with the present invention is shown at 20. In the second embodiment, the end 22a of paper strip 22 is folded back to serve as a pickup lug. By providing the pickup lug (the folded end 22a of the paper strip 22) to the paper strip 22, the strip 22 can be drawn upwardly within a film magazine as shown in FIG. 6. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the film packing 20 is inserted between a pair of cardboards 41, 41 for protection and placed into a moisture-proof bag 42. The moisture-proof bag 42 is sealed at the open end 42a thereof.

Referring to FIG. 6, in using the film package 20 in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention in a film magazine, the film package 20 is taken out of the moisture-proof bag 42 and removed from the protection of cardboards 41, 41 by placing the same into a film magazine 23 having an opening 30 on the top thereof. The film magazine 23 has a relatively large aperture 21 atthe front side thereof which is closed by a cover 33 when not in use. When the films are taken out of the film magazine 23, the pickup lug 22a is picked up and moved through opening 30 of the film magazine 23. By pulling up the lug 22a, the cut films I are pushed one by one out of aperture 21. ln'order to feed out the films mechanically or automatically from the magazine, a pair of guide plates 24a and 25a are provided in front of aperture 21. A pair of feedout rollers 32, 32 are provided just in front of the space between the pair of guide plates 24a and 25a, and an idle roller 29 is provided adjacent to opening 30 for guiding the paper strip 22 and a takeup roller 31 is provided above the film magazine 23 for taking up the paper strip 22 during feeding of the cut films l. The takeup roller 31 can be driven manually or mechanically.

The cut films 1 may be inserted in each fold of'said folded paper strip 2 on opposite sides thereof to double the number of cut films packed in the folded paper strip 2, in comparison with the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this variation, as shown in FIG. 6, the cut films are fed out in opposite directions, alternately, when the paper strip 52 is pulled in one direction. By employing this variation, the cut films may be brought into different positions alternately or brought into the same position using a, guide means for changing the advancing direction of the fed out film.

The invention has been described in detail with reference to particular embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the scope and spirit of the invention as described hereinabove and defined in the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A film magazine for carrying a plurality of cut films within respective folds of a paper strip folded a plurality of times into accordion-pleated fashion, said magazine comprising: top wall means, bottom wall means of similar dimensions and extending parallel thereto, opposite side walls extending between and substantially perpendicular to the top wall means and bottom wall means, a rear wall, edge connected to one of said wall means to define a transverse space between an edge of the rear wall and said wall means for allowing removal of said paper strip, an idler roller rotatably disposed in the film magazine with its axis extending parallel to the top and bottom wall means and the rear wall for guiding the paper strip during removal, the front ends of said top and bottom wall means being sloped inwardly toward each other to form a transverse slit therebetween whereby said sloped ends of said wall means serve as guide plates for the films exiting through said transverse slit.

2. a film magazine for carrying a plurality of cut films within respective folds of a paper strip folded a plurality oftimes into accordion-pleated fashion, said magazine comprising: a top wall, a bottom wall of similar dimensions and extending parallel thereto, opposite side walls extending between and substantially perpendicular to the top wall and bottom wall, a rear wall, edge connected to said bottom wall, a transverse space provided between the upper edge of the rear wall and said top wall for allowing removal of said paper strip, an idler roller rotatahly disposed in the film magazine and extending parallel to the top, bottom and rear walls for guiding the paper strip during removal, and the front ends of said top and bottom walls being sloped inwardly toward each other to form a transverse slit therebetwe en whereby said sloped ends of said walls serve as guide plates for the films exiting through said transverse slit.

3. A film magazine for carrying a plurality of cut films within respective folds of a paper strip folded a plurality of times into accordion-pleated fashion, said magazine comprising: top and bottom walls in spaced, parallel relationship, 0pposed side walls extending between and substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom walls, a first transverse slot carried by said magazine for facilitating removal of the end of the paper strip, an idler roller operatively disposed for rotation adjacent said first transverse slot with its axis parallel thereto for guiding the paper strip during removal adjacent ends of said top and bottom walls being sloped inwardly, toward each other, to form a second transverse slot at at least one end of said magazine, with said sloped ends serving as guide plates during discharge of the cut films through said second transverse slot.

4. The film magazine as claimed in claim 3 further including a rear wall edge connected to the bottom wall and terminating short of said top wall for forming said first lateral slot and wherein said idler roller is rotatably disposed within the film magazine.

5. The film magazine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said top wall includes a transverse opening intermediate of the ends of said top wall to form said first transverse slot, and said magazine further includes a rear wall extending completely between the top and bottom walls and edge coupled thereto and to said side walls, and cover means carried by the front end of said film magazine and overlying said second transverse slot formed be the sloped ends of said top and bottom walls.

6. The film magazine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said top wall includes a transverse opening intermediate of its ends to form said first slot, and opposed front and rear openings carried by said magazine between said to and bottom walls and forming paired second slots for facilifating discharge of cut films alternatively in opposite directions during removal of said accordion-pleated paper strip.

7. The film magazine as claimed in claim 3 further including feedout rollers carried by said magazine exterior thereof with the nip between said rollers in alinement with said second slot means to facilitate removal of said cut films from the magazine during removal of the accordion-pleated strip. 

